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Although it is considered impolite to eavesdrop, the following conversation I overheard on my way home from work was enough to make me toy with the idea of taking the long route home instead of exiting at my usual stop. Cultural Map of Azani a © photographed by MisBeee Writes  Sitting to my right was a man - on his phone - who kept referring to Africa as Azania. And not only that, he was taking pains to explain to the caller on the other end that African unity was best achieved by applying pre-colonial pan-cultural ideals that were once prevalent across the continent. He also added that any plan to unify the continent that does not embrace the institutions of indigenous cultures is bound to be superficial and tenuous. Intriguing I thought and I wanted to find out more. What's in a name? Azania is not a word I'd ever come across before. But its use as a cultural term goes back to the 1950s when the Pan-Africanist movement, which called for unity among colonial ...

Almost 89% of Africa was Ebola-free © Anthony London South Africa is the no-joke response I got to that question when someone adamantly told me that Africa was a country some years back. I kid you not. Admittedly the person was a teenager (ok not a solid excuse) but I think I'd be more forgiving of a young person than someone much older.  And yet the instances where this kind of nonsense resurfaces is largely down to those who - in my opinion - should know better. JLS lyrics My top bug bear has to be how easily a continent with 54 countries (48 mainland and six islands) can be juxtaposed against a single state. You know what I am talking about: listing Africa alongside India and Brazil when talking about 'developing' countries.  But how many of us question it? The UK Guardian newspaper made this point well in the article ' Africa is not a country '. It highlighted disparities between the way African countries are reported compared to those...

Master Essankro ( Bao ulé ) © Photographed by MisBeee Writes from Musée du quai Branly It is a rare treat for me to go to a museum showcasing African art. But when I do, facemasks, figurines and other sculptured pieces tend to be displayed as an afterthought - in my opinion.  Sometimes artefacts with limited cultural links, apart from being from the same Continent, are huddled together in a corner. And in many cases there seems to be little acknowledgement of the sheer workmanship involved; the significant societal and cultural value the pieces hold, or the role they played and still play in shaping modern art. Centre stage So you can imagine my surprise at learning that the Musée du quai Branly in Paris was staging the Les Maîtres de la sculpture de Côte d'Ivoire (the Master of Sculpture from the Ivory Coast). In one fell swoop I felt that this exhibition, which runs until 26 July, showcased how nuanced, complex, sophisticated and diverse sculpture from the Cô...